Paradise Theater hosts Existentia (in Paradise)

Mora’s Paradise Theater, a Highway 61 Film Festival partner, is hosting an extraordinary free event on April 26! Read the press release below for more.

 

Kanabec County theatre artist Roger Nieboer specializes in creating site-specific performances. He describes the work as “theatre that is inspired by, and built for actual, existing places.” Nieboer created just such a work last June for Northern Spark, an annual all-night Twin Cities arts festival. He created a philosophical travel agency called “Existentia,” that functioned out of the Amtrak ticketing offices of St. Paul’s newly renovated Union Depot.

That entire creative process and the ensuing all-night performance were captured on video by Mora native Matt Utecht, and later became the subject of his 45 minute documentary film, “Existentia.”

“We gave Matt total access to everything,” Nieboer claims. “Every rehearsal, every meeting, every moment of performance, every blemish and every flaw. But my favorite parts of the film involve his interviews with audience members. They make it all worthwhile.”

The documentary will have its world premiere at 2 pm on Saturday, April 26, 2014, at the Paradise Theatre in Mora. There will be no admission charge for this special event.

During the post-film reception, audience members will have an opportunity to participate in the Existentia interactive performance process, in a special consultation area created specifically for the Paradise. “I can promise you that you’ve never experienced anything quite like it,” Nieboer proclaims. “Nothing scary or weird, just… unique.”

Nieboer describes his working relationship with the Paradise as a dream come true. “I love the Paradise. They’ve given us a great opportunity to demystify ‘performance art’ and show the community what it’s all about. ” He is also profuse in his praise of the East Central Regional Arts Council. “They provide continuing support for arts organizations and individual artists in our area. Frankly, I don’t know if events such as this would even happen without their vision and support.”

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.